Flaming June !!

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The Olympic Torch Arriving in Bowness

The Park has taken a back seat this week to the Olympic Torch, as unfortunately we were not sucessful in getting a run through the Park :-).   So, we had to go to it instead. Here, on the left,  is the torch  just about to arrive at Bowness; sailing down Windermere on the MV Tern, accompanied by a flotilla of little boats, on a cold and very wet mid-summer evening: a typical Westmorland atmospheric scene, on a typical Westmorland day.  The crowd was estimated at around 5,000. Continue reading →

Flower spotting in the park

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After a walk in the park today I felt inspired to write a post on what I had seen. It feels as if the park has really blossomed over the last few weeks, no doubt helped by all the recent rain!

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Heath bedstraw on Great Brow

I headed first down the steep slope of Great Brow and towards the marshy area near the Bellway estate. The soft green hummocks of red fescue (Festuca rubra) and sheep’s fescue (Festuca ovina) grasses are peppered with swathes of the delicate white flowers of the heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile), a good indicator of acid grassland.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera) is creeping its way along the ground on the verge of bursting into flower alongside the tall spikes of common sorrel (Rumex acetosa).

Further along the slope is sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella), a more delicate version of sorrel with tiny red flower spikes along with the feathery yellow flowers of tormentil (Potentilla erecta), both of which are found in acid conditions. Continue reading →

Bird Watch – See What You Missed!! by Darren Shepherd

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Grey Heron. (Source: J J Harrison)

Well, the Jubilee picnic is over and its time for the latest installment of bird watch. The bird watch event at the picnic, didn’t last very long I’m afraid, as other activities took centre stage; we’ll improve the signage next time.  Let me know below,  if you are interested in coming along for an hour or so and I’ll organize another.

During the short space of time that the Jubilee picnic bird watch was running, we managed to see some exciting birds. It started with a ‘sparrowhawk’ overhead at 2.20pm spotted by a Mr B Shepherd (my Father).  A common buzzard could be seen soaring over the “High Royds” area around the same time. Continue reading →

The Backbone of a Nation

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The men are struggling hard ……..

…………..and in the eighth month, the people returned, to laugh, and play (and freeze in the middle of June), in celebration of a lady who is the epitome of our Nation’s backbone.   The elders returned to sit and reminisce, the young enthusiastically wrote another page of their own stories: Guiseley lineage lines, and southern ‘off cumdens’ mixed their ‘r’, and revelled in ‘community cohesion’ during a tug of war – and the rain held off; just.

……against their opposition !!!

Much thanks goes to everyone of the nearly 200 Friends, neighbours, councillors, MP and Queen’s representative,  who all played their part in bringing smiles to people’s faces and a sugar fest to the picnic rugs.  From the young man who brought his  bunting to decorate the goal posts, to the traditional welly wangers, the labours who removed all the wood chippings, and the elegant ‘best dressed’ Gentleman in his Union Jack trousers, it was a day to remember and savour. Continue reading →

Jubilee Picnic – Timetable Announced

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Bring a Family Recipe and Bunting; Have Some Fun

The Jubilee Picnic will be held on 5th June 2012, 2.30pm to 5pm.   The event has been funded by Leeds Community Foundation, part of a national group who link local philanthropists with organizations who engage local people on projects,  and Bellway Homes.  We would also like to highlight the following local businesses who have generously donated items,  Bargain Booze, Nuffield Fitness & Leisure, SJK Taxis, Subway, and  Tony Woods.  Finally, we thank Paul, Mark, Ken, Jamie, and a young man whose name I don’t know,  from Pudsey Landscapes for preparing the Park for us.   Let’s hope for some good weather !!

9am If anyone would like to Continue reading →

Solving the Puzzle of the Wall

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Renewed

On the first warm day for months,  Colin Alexander, Crawford Smith and Martyn Smith, of the Otley & Yorkshire Dales branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association set out to complete a complex puzzle. How to rebuild the tumbled wall at the ‘sheepfold’ entrance?

Tumbled Down

“There are many ways it can be done,  it’s finding one that works”, said Martyn.   The gentlemen were particularly hard pressed with this wall,  as not all of the stone was still lying around.   As this is a traditionally built wall, the batter, or slope of the wall, is a key feature.  The A shape of the wall means the stones get smaller as they go up, and this shape is a crucial part of the structural strength – a vertical wall would topple over much more quickly, as the stones settle.

The puzzle was solved by building the wall on a small platform,  and then shaping the top in a U,  “so that you’ve got a dress gallery to watch the sunsets”, quipped Crawford,  “you’ll be able to set up the stalls the other side”.   Continue reading →

A Salute to the 15th Airedale Scouts from the House of Commons

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Poster Boy for Scouting !

A big, big, BIG thank you to the boys and girls, Scout leader Keith Park, and, especially, Group Scout Leader Maureen Cooper of the 15th Airedale Scouts, for coming to spend their Scout Community Week time on the Park.   As we make our case with Leeds City Council, to have the Park officially listed as a community ‘green’ asset, rather than potential housing land,  you have played a vital part in helping us do that.

Thank you as well,  to all the Friends who turned out to help improve the entrances; the work of digging out nettles, hedge garlic, and brambles, along with old concrete and clinker was not easy – it was, perhaps,  fortunate it was neither a hot, nor a wet day. Continue reading →

Park Entrances – Scouts, Volunteers and Plants Called! by Andy Cheetham and Josie Brooks

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Sheepfold Entrance To Be Enhanced

As part of the overall vision for the Park the Friends want to create welcoming and well managed Park entrances for a more pleasant experience for all uses. Over the past few weeks some of the Friends, along with Maureen Cooper from the 15th Airedale Scouts, have been working on the project to make this happen.

To date, we have sketched out ideas tailored to the position of each of three entrances, Hillside Steps, ‘Sheepfold’ and Oxford Avenue, and on Saturday 19th May work will commence. If you can make it, please do come and join us, as there will be lots of jobs to be carried out. We are teaming up with the 15th Airedale scouts who will be helping us out as part of their “Scout Community Week” and they will be officially renaming the sheepfold entrance: which at the moment goes by a variety of names including churn stand, old man’s corner, and that ‘funny triangular bit’. Continue reading →

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Community Picnic

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Queen’s Jubilee Community Picnic Invitation

Come and join your neighbours in a community picnic to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.   As Parkinson’s Park starts to look like it’s old self,  we thought we’d revive some of the old events.  To start with, we’d like to bring elements of the Parkinson’s Children’s Gala back to life,  only this time as a Jubilee picnic with games for all the family.

The event will be held on Tuesday, 5th June 2012,  2,30-5pm,  at the top of the Park (Little Kelcliffe).  There will be family fun with a ‘follow the diamonds’ trail, and traditional games such as egg and spoon races, and welly wanging.  If there are games you’d like to see included from the old Gala days,  please let us know before the 28th May in the comments below. Continue reading →